1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to haptic technology feeding back force feedback and tactile sensation to a user, and more specifically to a haptic module providing force feedback and tactile sensation against force applied to a touch panel (for example, a touch window) by a user through adjustment of a magnetic force, and electronic apparatuses having the module.
2. Description of the Related Art
A haptic interface indicates an entire system implementing a virtual reality and a tactile interaction in a broad sense, however, indicates a physical device for transmitting tactile sensation to humans in a narrow sense, and is usually referred to as a haptic device.
In order to transmit information, a transmission medium is required between humans and media, which may be defined as a term ‘interface’. The media and the interface are inseparably related, and the interface has no choice but to have a form relying on the five senses of the human. Recently, due to development of engineering technology, interface-related technology relying on only the visual and auditory senses has continuously been evolved into technology utilizing olfactory sense and tactile sense. That is, the haptic device has been spotlighted as a device for media related to the tactile sensation.
As well known, the haptic device is divided into a force feedback device that transmits a physical force to a muscle or a joint, etc., and a tactile device that transmits skin stimulus such as vibration, as well as pressure, temperature, texture, and ache.
The key point of the tactile device is to be equipped with tactile technology implementing a realistic force such as texture of a real material to a user through the skin stimulus as described above.
One example of the tactile device is disclosed in U.S Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-0012576 A1 (hereinafter, referred to as '576 patent). A touch display device disclosed in the '576 patent is constituted by a touch plate, a plurality of tactile sensation modification components operably mounted on the touch plate and having magnetism, and a plurality of coils. The tactile sensation modification components are vibrated according to a direction of current applied to the coils, and a hand or a finger of a user is stimulated by vibration of the touch plate. Accordingly, the user may feel tactile sensation of a material displayed on a screen.
However, the above-mentioned '576 patent has disadvantages that components are complex, as well as miniaturization is limited because an occupying area of an electromagnetic device mounted on a lower surface of the coil and a blade is wide. Furthermore, since it implements only a tactile sensation function, it is impossible to provide more dynamic feel by force feedback to the user.